


only hope

by jessicawhitly



Series: nothing gold can stay [4]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2019-10-04
Packaged: 2020-11-23 19:36:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20895002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jessicawhitly/pseuds/jessicawhitly
Summary: The Hopper-Byers fam attend a Halloween party, and their family themed costume is predictably science fiction related.





	only hope

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so attached to both Joyce and El going as Leia one year, and Hop is canonically a big Han Solo fan (as stated in Darkness on the Edge of Town) that he would go all in on a family Star Wars costume, that I couldn't get the image of the Hopper-Byers clan being all nerdy and cute together. Thanks for sticking with me for the Jopper Autumn Challenge, and I hope you had as much fun reading as I did writing!

“El, you have to sit still otherwise the hair won’t stay,” Joyce tells the teen for the third time as the girl fidgets under her hands.

“Hairspray’s itchy,” El’s nose twitches, and Joyce’s smile gentles as she meets her gaze in the mirror.

“Why do you think I picked the hair with less braids?” she asked, scrunching her nose up. El laughs, and Joyce slides another bobby pin into place, spraying another wave of hairspray over the thickly coiled hair. “There, I think you’re all set.”

El leans forward, examining the heavy braid buns set on each side of her head. The long, flowing white dress is laid out on the bed behind them, and Joyce had helped her painted her lashes with mascara before they’d started the process of her hair.

“I look just like Leia!” El exclaims happily, and Joyce grins. “And so do you!”

Joyce’s hair is loose, and longer than it’s been in years, falling down to nearly her shoulder blades. The gold braid grown over the top of her hair kept her bangs out of her face, and the homemade dress she’d spent way too many lunchbreaks on hugged her curves and fell to mid-calf. When Hopper had suggested they all go to the family Halloween party his new police station was throwing, in an attempt to better integrate themselves to the community, it had been Will’s idea to do a theme.

It hadn’t taken long for Star Wars to come up- but for once, Hopper had instantly been on Will’s side, more enthusiastic about the idea of being Han Solo than Joyce had seen in ages. El had been dejected, though, at there not being a character for her to be with Joyce being Leia, until Will had suggested they be two different Leias.

So, El was _A New Hope_ Leia, while Joyce was _Return of the Jedi_ Leia.

“Mom, we’re gonna be late!” Will calls through the door, and Joyce squeezes El’s shoulders before straightening up.

“We’re almost ready sweetie, tell Hop to calm down!” she replies, and hears her son snort before his footsteps stomp off, his boots loud against the hardwood floor. She turns to El, and holds up the dress. “Let’s get this over these braids, okay?”

Carefully, they maneuver the turtleneck dress over El’s head, settling the white fabric until it lay smooth and hooking the belt around her waist. The boots are next, and El holds her shoulders as Joyce zips them up, patting the inside of her knee before pulling the dress down to cover.

“Okay- I think we’re all set!” Joyce says, straightening, and El reaches up to smooth some of the hair against her shoulder before nodding, beaming.

The boys are waiting in the living room- Will in his tan Luke tunic, lightsaber at the ready, with Hopper dressed in Han Solo’s Endor outfit to match Joyce, fidgeting with the navy vest. Hopper’s eyes widen at the sight of Joyce, gaze falling to the dip of her dress, and Joyce’s eyebrow arches, teeth sinking into her bottom lip.

“I thought we were going to be late,” she comments dryly, sliding her purse over her shoulder and swallowing a laugh as Hop shakes himself, standing up straighter before grabbing the car keys. “Will, sweetie, don’t forget the chips.”

Her son grabbed the two bags of potato chips from kitchen counter, but Hopper scoops them up before he can shove them under his arms.

“Let’s not give them crumbs, kid,” Hop says, but there’s affection in his voice, and Will grins, shoving his hair out of his face as Hopper pushes at his head lightly. “Alright, move it or lose it, folks!”

El and Will are the first out the door, but Joyce catches the hem of Hopper’s vest, tugging him back to her. He stops, looking down at her, and her hands skim up his chest until she can pull him down to her level, pressing her lips to his.

“What was that for?” he asks when they part, and she shakes her head, brushing her nose against his.

“No reason,” she murmurs, then her eyes crinkle, and she leans in until her forehead touches him. “Just…someone who loves you.”

Hopper’s chest rumbles out a laugh at that, arm looping around her waist until he can pull her to his chest, burying his face in her neck. Joyce hides her smile in his hair, kissing the hull of his ear, before she nudges at him.

“Listen, rebel, I know I’m blowing your mind with all the Star Wars knowledge, but we’re gonna be late for your work party and I want all your coworkers to like me,” she tells him, and he finally sets her down, letting her fix her hair as they walk through the door.

“You know, they’re all gonna like you,” he tells her just before she opens the door to the Blazer- she frowns, hand on the door, and tilts her head as she waits for him to continue. “What do you think I talk about at work all day?”

Joyce’s cheeks flush, a pleased, fond light entering her eyes, and she ducks her head in embarrassment. Warmth pools in Hopper’s chest, bright and happy, and he climbs into the car with a grin.


End file.
